Get a taste of life on the high seas! Tour the tall ship, Lady Washington, for free at the Kirkland downtown marina on Thurs., Aug. 30, made possible by the City of Kirkland Tourism Program.

Two public sailings: A FREE three-hour educational sail from 9 am-12 pm on Aug. 30 provides a glimpse of life at sea and demonstrates basic navigation skills. Ticket line for the morning cruise only opens at 8 a.m. on the Kirkland Avenue Dock at Marina Park; boarding passes will be distributed beginning at 8:15 a.m. for any available spaces.

A FREE two-hour evening sail from 6-8 pm (Aug. 30) allows passengers to participate in the operation of an 18th-century tall ship, from raising the sails to taking the helm, weather conditions permitting. Ticket line opens at 5 p.m. and boarding passes will be handed out at 5:15 p.m. for any available spaces.

The ship accommodates 45 persons per cruise, and space will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Adults will be required to show photo ID on day of sail. Each person regardless of age requires a boarding pass. Groups are limited to four persons or less.

Free dockside tours: For those unable to make the two public cruises, there will be free tours while the tall ship is docked at Marina Park from 1-5 pm on Aug. 30. The Lady Washington accommodates 60-100 visitors an hour for dockside tours, which last approximately 30 minutes.

Other events: Both the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain will be anchored at the Woodmark Hotel, Carillon Point, from Aug. 27 – Sept. 4 (except for Aug. 30). On Sept. 1 and 2, two-hour mock battle cruises will be held from 2-4 pm or from 5-7 pm. More information: www.tallshipskirkland.eventbrite.com

Additional cruises are offered through the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, including a 5-hour sail from Bremerton to Kirkland (Aug. 27), a family-oriented “adventure sail” on the Hawaiian Chieftain (Aug. 30) and a 48-hour sail from Kirkland to Aberdeen (Sept. 4-5). Details at: www.historicalseaport.org

Launched in 1989, the Lady Washington is a full-scale reproduction of the original Lady Washington, one of the first American vessels to reach the west coast in 1788. The modern version, 112 feet in length, was constructed in Aberdeen, Wash., by master shipwrights. The topsail ketch Hawaiian Chieftain, an interpretation of a typical European merchant trader of the 19th century, was built in Hawaii in 1988.